Today I am thrilled to introduce you to a company that offers products that sport some of the most beautiful prints I have ever seen. Claire Ekelund designed her own nursing cover after she found that a cover she received as a gift wasn’t as stylish and functional as she would have liked. Her design became so popular that she and her husband decided to turn it into a business, and Bébé Au Lait (formerly Hooter Hiders) was born. Lucky for us, Claire doesn’t reserve her beautiful fabric and designs just for nursing covers. Check out the company’s selection of nursing pillows, swaddle blankets, carseat covers and hooded towels, just to name a few of their other products.
Do you have a signature product or design element?
We design all of our products to be unique and to appeal to modern parents. We innovate as much as possible, from the custom woven terry cloth on our hooded towels, to the unique, patented Rigiflex™ neckline on our nursing covers. This neckline features a flexible yet rigid material that creates an opening, allowing mom and baby to maintain eye contact and promoting their special bond. It also has important built-in safety features that ensure both the longevity of the product and the safety of mom and baby. The covers garnered immediate attention from stylish moms and celebrities across the nation. Bébé au Lait has designed over 100 of them to date, combining the ultimate in fashion, safety and function to make the perfect nursing cover for today’s breastfeeding moms.
What do you think people might not know about Bébé au Lait that you’d like to share?
Bébé au Lait’s first and best-known product, our award-winning nursing cover, was designed out of necessity when co-owner Claire Ekelund found nursing her infant daughter in public challenging, and she couldn’t find a nursing product that complemented her sense of style. As demand for her stylish nursing covers increased, Bébé au Lait was formed. As our company continued to grow, we’ve developed a wide range of complementary products for parents, babies and children, including blankets, bibs and the newly released Muslin Car Seat Cover. Bébé au Lait is a global brand, distributing to over 60 countries in both independent boutiques and major retailers such as Nordstrom, Buy Buy Baby and Babies R Us.
What is your biggest piece of advice for new parents?
The piece of advice that I used to give myself all the time is to remember the words, “It’s just a phase.” These words will save you in times of despair, when you are sure you are raising children that will never say “thank you” without prompting and will forever refuse to eat anything green. But the same goes for when things are going well—don’t congratulate yourself too loudly because just when you get comfortable, another phase will begin!
Where do you find your inspiration?
As parents ourselves, we are literally living the brand. We find inspiration in being with our children, solving daily problems and interpreting them into beautiful end products. Whether it’s bath time, mealtime, naptime or get-out-and-go time, our goal is to provide the safest, most functional and luxurious products that parents reach for first.
Tell us your motto.
At Bébé au Lait, we only design products that check all the boxes for the modern parent—they must be functional, stylish, affordable, safe and the very best quality. We provide parents with a growing selection of products that do all of the above and stand the test of everyday use.
To learn more about Bébé au Lait, be sure to check out their listing in our Vendor Guide.
If you are interested in applying to become a Project Nursery Vendor, please click here.